Photographic retouching device



March 29, 1960 M. B. SKOMSVOLD 2,930,307

PHOTOGRAPHIC RETOUCHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 20, 1957 MMwZ/ff United States Paten 2,936,307 i PHOTOGRAPHIC RETOUCHING- DEVICE Matthew B: Skonisvold, Minneapolis; Minn. Application September- 20,.1957,:Serial No 685,350 2 Claims. i (or: 95 -103) g This invention relates "iro at phbtog'raphic retouching device. p u H An objectof 'my"inventi'on 'isto"provide'"a new and improved photographic retouching deviceof simple'an'd' Another objectof my invention is the provision of a photographic retouching devicewherein the negative car- 2,930,367 Patented Mar. 29, 1960 sage of light through the mounting plate. The negative 'plate 22'is substantiallyhexagonally shaped and has a relation so as to permit rotation of'the negative in its own, plane. The negative'plate 22 is maintained in sepa- J rier and hand rest are'bo'th movableiinrelation to each other so as to permit the operator'to vary his working "position in relation'to the"posit'ion"of orientation of the "negative and thereby permit him' to" readily and easily 'vary'the typeofshadingandretouching lines produced on different portiohsof the' negative.

These andother objects and" advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in'connection with thefa'ccornpanying drawings wherein like reference characters reform the same parts throughout the several views and'inwhich;

Fig. 1 isa side elevation view of the invention; 7 I Fig. 2 is an elevation view of thefront ofthe retouching device, and taken on an inclined plane-as indicated at 2+2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section view of'the invention taken on a substantially vertical plane "asindica'tedat 3-3 in Fig. 2; v

Fig. 4 isa detail 'section'viewtaken on an inclined plane as indicated at substantially 8- 4- in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a detail section view taken at substantially 5- 5 in Fig. 2. I

One form of thepresent invention isshown in them.- 'companying drawings and is described herein. The photographic retouching device is indicated in general by the numeral 19 and includes a housing which comprises the supporting ructure for the operative portions of the machine. The'housing has'a bottom 11*with a resilient rubber pad 12 aiiixed thereon,-a=pair of generally triangular end panels 13, and remand top panels 14 and '15 respectively. The 'housing-issecured together as by screws and metallic binding'sti'ips-lfi- The supporting "structure also includes 'an inclined frame plate or panel 17 which is supported in grooves 18 in the end panels lfi.

he front panel 19 is secured to" the housing and is disposed in an inclined planeso asito provide' a working surface. A numberof controls, -hereinafter specifically defined are carried on the front panel 19;

A=movable negative carrier is indicated in general by numeral 20 and includes a mounting plate 21, a negative plate 22, a negative clamping element" or ring23, and a yieldablesupporting structure.:24ffor the plates. The mounting plate '21 hasacircular outer edge and has an openingflain the central portion thereof to admit pasration from the mounting plate 21'by means of a thin felt lamination 24 which is adhesively aifixed to the nega- 'tive plate 22. The negative plate 22'also has a thin 10 felt lamination 25 on the upper side thereof to provide a soft surface upon which the'negative will be laid sons to prevent damage to the negative. The negative plate 22 also has a central opening22b centrally thereof and in alignment with the opening 21a to admit passage of light through the negative plate. The 'felts 24 and'25'are' provided with similar openings therethrough.

The negative clamping element or ring 23' also has an opening 23a centrallyiherethrough in alignment with the openings 22b and'21a to provide access to the negative N. The clamping element 23 also has a felt lamination 26 on the bottom side thereof for engaging the negative clamped thereby.

Spring means are provided for interconnecting the clamping element with the negative plate, and in the form shown, such means include an elongated 'flatspring element 27 which is bent back upon itself and which is oriented generally radially of the negative-plate 22 and the clamping element 23. The oppositeend'portions 27a 'and-27b'are respectivelyafiixed to the clamping element 30 23 andthe" negative plate 22 as by rivets 28. It should be noted that the outer looped end 27c of the spring 27 is disposed well away fromithe'negativeplate 22 to ."pe'rmitanegative which is'subs'tant'ially larger in area than the negative plate 22 to beca'rriecl onthe negative plate and clamped'by theclarnping element 23. he

's'pring27 may then be used as a handle to'turn the negative plate 22 and the clamping element 23 with respect to the mounting plate 21 without necessitating manual touching of the negative. It should be noted that the inner edge portion 27:: of the spring 27 extends slightly inwardly of the opening 23a in tive plate 22 and to "facilitate ready'and easy insertion and're'r'no'val of a negative.

The mounting structure 24"for'the negative carrier includes a plurality of bolts 29 having their heads counter- "sunk into the mounting plate 21 and held therein by nuts 30. Bolts 29 extend through apertures 19a in the front panel 19 and are aiiixed to astabilizing plate 31 disposed immediately below the panel 19 by'ineans of nuts 32 and "34. The plate 31 is'resiliently mounted on the frame plate 17 by means of threecoil springs 33 which are af- "fixed at their'upper ends to the'plate 31 by means of 34 which are internally threaded to receive the ends of the bolts 29and are externally threaded for threaded connection with the coil spring 33. The low'erends 35 of the springs 33 are straightened'out and'are secured'to the frameplate 17 by an overlying retainer plate 36 which is secured to frame plate as'by'bo'l'ts 36b. The'plate'31 interconnectsthe upper ends of all of the springs so as to 'tralportio'n thereof in alignment with the openings 21a,

22b, 23a and 31a to admit passage of light th'erethrough,

-and the opening 19/) is covered with a sheet of frosted "glass "37 for diffusing the light passing "outwardly therethrough.

p the clamping element 23 v to define a lip 27d which is enga'geableby the persons thumb for raising the clamping element 23 otiithe negaopenings 17a and 36a have central, substantially. circular portions, and elongated, diametrically opposed recessed portions arranged inhorizontal position.

Immediately behind the plate 17, a light source is provided and in the form shown, such light source comprises a fluorescent bulb 37a which is mounted on conventional brackets 38 at the opposite ends thereof which are affixed as by screws to the frame plate 17. A reflector is also carried by the brackets 38 for directing the light through the openings in the various panels in order to provide as much light at the negative as possible. The fluorescent light 37ais controlled by a switch button 37b on the front panel 19 and may of course be provided with a fuse 40 in the circuit. A rheostat 41 is also provided in connection with the light 37a to vary the intensity thereof.

Means are provided for-vibrating the negative carrier, and in the form shown, such means include an electromagnet 42 fixed on the frame plate 17 adjacent one corner portion of plate 31. A magnetic plate 43 is affixed to the plate 31 as by rivets 43a and is positioned in closely spaced relation with the armature or core of the electromagnet 42 to be influenced by the magnetic field produced in the electromagnet 42'. The electromagnet will be controlled by a switch 44 and will also be controlled by a variable autotransforrner 45 to vary the current supplied to the electromagnet and thereby vary the length of magnetic field produced which controls the magnitude of shifting of the plate 43, plate 31 and the negative carrier 20. It is to be particularly noted that the negative carrier is vibrated in the directionof arrow A as seen in Fig. 2 or in a diagonal direction.

It has been observed that when a pencil is drawn over the negative end on the negative plate 22, a sharply de-' rigid plate 47 projects into and is slidable in a groove or channel 49 which is defined by an elongated mounting block 5i) atiixed adjacent the bottom edge of panel 19, and a metallic strip 51. The hand rest 46 is slidable along the panel 19 from one end thereof to the other so as to be disposed in different positions in relation to the negative end on the carrier.

The hand rest 46 has an arcuately curved upper edge 46a which extends generally peripherally of the negative plate 22. A portion of the edge 46a, as at 46b extends obliquely in relation to the'direction of vibrating movement as indicated by the arrow A. The hand rest 46 also is provided with an upwardly extending projecting portion 460 which, when the hand rest 46 is moved along in the groove 49, will overlie a portion of the negative carrier so that the operators hand may be properly oriented for producing various characters of shading and retouching of the negative.

In operation, the clamping element 23 will be raised off the negative plate 22 and a negative of substantially any size may be inserted therebetween. The hand rest 46 may be slid to any position along the panel 19, but will most likely be placed in the position shown in Fig. 2 initially. The vibrator and light will be turned on and adjusted by the rheostats 41 and variable transformer 45. The operator will then move his pencil along the negative and the vibration of the negative carrier and the negative will cause production of shading or other retouching marks on the negative. Because of the differences in technique for producing some shade marks as compared to others, it is desirable to turn the negative to permit retouching in the desired manner on certain portions of the negative and retouching in another manner on other r 4 r portions of the negative. For instance in a portrait negative, it may be desirable that a negative vibrate in one direction when the lines in and around the face of the portrait are being retouched, and it may be desirable that the negative be reoriented when the hair is being retouched. The negative plate 22 may be easily turned by manipulating the spring 27 and the spring 27 may be swung beneath a hand rest 46 in order that the negative may be reoriented through a complete 360 degree revolution. For certain types of work, it may be desirable that the inwardly projecting portion 460 of the handrest 46 be shifted into overlying relation with respect to the negative plate so that the operator may rest his hand in. close proximity with the negative. In addition, 'it is also desirable that the hand rest be shiftable to various positions in relation to the negative carrier so that the pencil in the operators hand may be oriented and maintained in a relatively stationary'position for retouching certain portions of the negative in the desired manner and so that the pencil may be properly oriented in the operators hand in relation to the direction of vibrating movement. The rotatability of the negative plate and clamp ing element and the shiftability of the hand rest facilitate a multiplicity of different arrangements of the operators hand and pencil and the movements thereof in relation to the orientation of the negative in the carrier and in relation to the direction of movement as indicated by the arrow A of the negative carrier.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided a new and improved photographic retouching device wherein the negative on the carrier may be readily and easily reoriented in relation to the direction of vibrating movement thereof, and the hand rest upon which the operator of the machine places the heel of his hand may be adjusted so as to facilitate application of the pencil onto the negative from the desired angle or position so that a character of shading or retouching of the negative may be varied in the precise manner to obtain the desired results.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, detail and arrangement and proportion of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which consists of the matter described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A photographic retouching device, comprising a supporting structure, a front panel on the supporting structure and having a light pervious central portion, a negative carrier including a mounting plate overlying the panel and having a light pervious portion aligned with the central portion of the panel, said carrier also including a negative plate overlying the mounting plate and having a light pervious portion aligned with the light pervious portions of the mounting plate and panel, said negative plate being rotatably connected to the mounting plate for rotation in a plane, a negative clamping element overlying the negative plate and having an opening therethrough aligned with said light pervious portions, resilient means connecting the clamping element to the mounting plate and urging said element toward the plate to hold the negative therebetween, mounting means on the sup port structure and projecting through the panel and connected with the mounting plate, meansvibrating the negative carrier in the plane of the negative plate, and a hand rest on the supporting structure and having an inner edge adjacent the negative and spaced therefrom in a direction away from the panel, said inner edge extending generally peripherally along a portion of the negative plate and said edge having portions extending generally obliquely of the direction of vibrating movement of the negative carrier whereby to facilitate supporting of the operators hand in various positions in relation to the orientation of the negative and in relation to the vibrating movement of the negative carrier and thereby permit the character of shading or retouching to be easily changed and controlled.

2. A photographic retouching device, comprising a supporting structure, a front panel on the supporting structure and having a light pervious central portion, a negative carrier including a mounting plate overlying the panel and having a light pervious portion aligned with said central portion of the panel, said carrier also including a negative plate overlying the mounting plate and having a light pervious portion aligned with the light pervious portions of the mounting plate and panel, said mounting plate being rotatably connected to the mounting plate for rotation in a plane, a negative clamping element overlying the negative plate and having an opening therethrough aligned with said light pervious portions, resilient means connecting the clamping element to the mounting plate and urging said element toward the plate to hold the negative therebetween, mounting means on the support structure and projecting through the panel and connected to the mounting plate, said mounting means including yieldable elements to permit movement of the negative carrier, means vibrating the negative carrier in the plane of the negative plate, and a hand rest spaced outwardly of the negative plate from the panel and being movably mounted on the supporting structure for sub stantially linear shifting movement along the panel and adjacent the negative plate, said hand rest having an inner edge defining an inwardly extending projection adapted to overlie the negative plate when the rest is shifted along the panel and thereby permit the operators hand to be rested above the negative to easily change the character of the shading or retouching of the negative, whereby to facilitate movement of the point at which the operators hand is supported in relation to the direction of vibrating movement of the negative carrier and in relation to the orientation of the negative held between the negative plate and the clamping element and thereby permit the character of shading or retouching of the negative to be varied.

Davidson Sept. 24, 1940 Adams June 17, 1947 

